Filip Mesar needs to change his mentality if he wants to break through at the highest level.

I’ll be the first to say it: I don’t see Filip Mesar playing in the AHL this year. In my eyes, he hasn’t dominated the OHL enough to think about adding to a group that will be young in Laval.

But is there a difference between what I think and what Filip Mesar thinks? Of course there is.

As we know, he’s hungry for the AHL. He doesn’t want anything to do with playing in Ontario, and he’d like to be able to break into the Laval Rocket line-up and get close to the NHL.

But why isn’t he aiming for the NHL, realistically or not? Why doesn’t he say so clearly?

Renaud Lavoie is at the NHL showcase right now and he chatted to Mesar. And what he says is interesting: why won’t he say that he’s aiming for the NHL right now? Why doesn’t he have that mentality?

Why does he only talk about the AHL and the World Championship?

We’re talking about Connor Bedard and the @CanadiensMTL ⬇️ https://t.co/W83gEucRJW

– Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 6, 2023

Take Owen Beck, for example. He wants to play in the NHL and he’s hungry. He says so, and that’s okay, because it’s normal to have goals that are high in that sense.

I think Beck should go back to the Petes, but that’s my opinion. And if I’m a Habs manager, I’d rather have to put the brakes on my prospect than push him around.

Mesar is the opposite. Mesar talks more about playing in the AHL and, as Lavoie says, his eyes lit up when he started talking about the World Junior Championship. That reinforces the European stereotype.

But why didn’t he do the same when talking about the Habs?

You’ve got to get away from the junior level. You’ve got to think about the pros. – Renaud Lavoie on Filip Mesar

He has to change that. He has to be hungry for the NHL and say so. He has to start talking about his October before he wants to do everything he can to represent his country in December and win a medal.

It may not be easy in English, but he needs to find a way to demonstrate his confidence in front of the media.

Last year, he went backwards to the OHL and had an ordinary season. He didn’t take any trunks over the summer, and he’s not openly aiming for the NHL like all the other hopefuls.

We’ve seen better, let’s say.

In gusts

– Ouch.

The two parties are still a long way from an agreement 😬😬 https://t.co/5dhutfAuRm

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) September 6, 2023

– It was a close call.

“The fire was very close to us” 😱😱https://t.co/WPuxze4cg6

– TVA Sports (@TVASports) September 6, 2023

– Coyotes opt for stability.

– Toronto trial.

– Retirement should be waiting for him.